Miley Cyrus' concerts are 'a good education for the kids'

Miley Cyrus strips naked, smokes weed, talks to Ronan Farrow for the cover of 'W'. Photo / AP

Miley Cyrus's critics may have dismissed her outrageous stage antics as soft porn - but the defiant star insists she is an artist trying to educate children.

The American singer's Bangerz tour, which kicked off in Canada on Valentine's Day, has drawn complaints from parents who have taken offence at Cyrus miming a sex act with a man wearing a Bill Clinton mask and dancing in a glittering leotard decorated with cannabis leaves.

But the 21-year-old, who caused a sensation when she 'twerked' on stage with Robin Thicke at last year's MTV awards said she was working her "ass off" to be "a better person".

She said: "I want this to be a pretty high-end tour. I want it to be like good art. And I am excited to go to places where people are usually not exposed to too much good art. It can be a good education for the kids who come to my concert."

She added: "I want to show people that music can not only be entertaining but educational as well.

"Maybe people don't think of me first when it comes to education, but I might surprise a couple of people.'

Cyrus, who is due to bring her tour to Britain in May, said her critics had to appreciate she was no longer the child star she used to be. She made her name as a teenager in the Disney TV show Hannah Montana.

She said: "Look, I am not the little girl any more. I think everybody knows that by now. I want to be my own person, I want to change all the time to become a better artist, a better person. I work my ass off, and I like who I am."

The star said it was time that young girls, including her own fans, became more adventurous.

She said: "I like to experiment. I like to try new things. I don't understand what most girls are wearing today. I find it boring. Why don't younger children try to be more risque. I like it when you find a style that can be your own personal style."

The singer also revealed that she didn't have that many friends.

"I am a pretty honest person. I like people who don't lie to me. And I want to laugh. So, if you are funny, and you can make me laugh, you are good in my book. I don't have that many friends."